Forever Hunted
by banka1233
Summary: What would you do if you were hunted by a Dark Guild? Follow Natsu and his friends as they fight to protect a girl who has been running away from dangerous mages. Will they succeed in protecting her? And why is she being targeted by them anyway? Rated T.
1. The Warning

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! I've been thinking about this fanfic for a while now, and just couldn't contain it in my head. So here it is! For those of you reading this right now, thank you so much for choosing this to read! I hope you enjoy it! Just to let everyone know, I think it's best to imagine this as though it was a part of the manga. I dunno, it just looks better... Okay, now for those reading my LoZ fanfic, I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but I got depressed for a while 'cause my brother exchanged my "Twilight Princess" game and "WarioWare" game for "New Super Mario Bros. Wii." It's fun and all, but... I MISS IT SO MUCH! And then I got caught up with E3 talking about a new LoZ game coming up and got so excited! And then I got depressed again because now my Wii can't read any discs anymore... :( So yeah, I got a lot of excuses for not updating my first fanfic, but please bear with me and we'll get through it together.

For now, please enjoy this Fairy Tail fanfic~

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Chapter 1: The Warning

Normal... That was the one word that could describe the night. The full moon was rising slowly, bragging its cool beauty while a gentle breeze softly danced through the area. A few clouds speckled the sky here and there, but it was not enough to lessen the moon's radiance one bit. While everyone in the somewhat peaceful town of Magnolia finished the last of their daily routines, so did its infamous guild:

Fairy Tail.

Some people may be out on a job, working for money to spend back at the guild. Others who are indecisive and unsure stood and stared at the tall Request Board, hoping to come to a conclusion. And while those certain people did that, the remaining relaxed with their fellow nakama after a long, troublesome job, happy and relieved to be back in their home.

At this particular moment, however, most of the guild members felt accomplished. Why? Because they just had yet another successful and wonderful performance for the Fantasia Festival! It had been two days after cleaning up all the props and confetti, and all the members of the guild wallowed in their success and joy. A certain female wizard sat at her usual spot at the bar.

She bragged healthy golden hair, styled in a cute fashion that consisted of a small ponytail to her right, which was tied up with a blue ribbon. Her hazel eyes complimented the look, and so did her sense of fashion; her usual outfit was exactly this: a sleeveless and collared white tank top with a few blue stripes, a short blue skirt, and a pair of boots. Along with that were some convenient accessories, such as a cute bracelet that matched her shoes and a belt to hold her keys. As many of her friends were already aware of, they weren't ordinary keys... This young fashionista is known as Lucy, the stellar spirit mage of Fairy Tail. She is also known as one of the more attractive females of their guild!

Lucy sighed contently. "Aaah, the Festival was so much fun! I can't wait for next year!" Her company included two people: Plue and the renowned "Sorcerer's Magazine" model Mirajane. Well, Plue is not one to be called a "person," but is actually one of the stellar spirits Lucy had contracted. Plue is not one of her strongest, but is definitely the most adorable! Mirajane spoke kindly and softly; she was always one of the most gentle of the members, or at least after she decided to stop working as a mage.

"You seem happier," she replied, smiling, "I thought you were still stressed about paying your rent." Not too long after the Festival, the results for the Miss Fairy Tail Pageant came up. Lucy had entered to win the prize money, which would be more than enough for her rent, but unfortunately she got in second place while Erza took the prize. At that moment, the young blonde girl slumped and rested her head on the wooden counter of the bar. From there, she began to bawl and wail once more at the reminder of her incoming pay day. Mirajane stared, guilty and unsure of what to say anymore.

"How am I going to pay rent~?" Suddenly, out of nowhere, a good friend appeared right next to her.

"Oi, Lucy!" he greeted, "How about we take a job?" This boy was none other than Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander of Fairy Tail. Natsu's usual trademarks included his pink hair, scale-like scarf, and his tendency to be destructive and loud. Nevertheless, he was the most loyal and devoted of the members, to both his friends and the guild. Lucy glanced at her fellow teammate for a moment, tears still flowing, and then began bawling once more (probably from joy).

"Waaaah! Natsu can finally take jobs again! Thank you!" There was another thing that happened before the Fantasia performance: a fight between the master's grandson, Luxus. This caused plenty of damage to Natsu's body, as well as the second Dragonslayer Gazille, therefore rendering him unable to take on jobs. Finally, he was healed and ready for action! The fire Dragonslayer smiled widely. "Alright then! How about we talk about it tomorrow with Gray and Erza, eh?"

"Aye!" a small creature agreed. Its name was Happy, a blue cat who was also considered a mage and the loyal companion of Natsu. Lucy grinned at their enthusiasm and wiped away her tears; their zest always cheered her up. If only he wasn't so chaotic and well-known for intense property damage, then that would've been perfect for her! She looked at them with shining eyes and nodded in agreement. With that final answer, Natsu and Happy cheered in excitement and laughed. They were always such a noisy bunch...

"Alright! I'm all fired up!" he exclaimed, running around and randomly breathing fire. Some people gazed with uncertainty in their eyes, while others shook their head and laughed at his usual attitude. It was evident everyone was happy, however, that the Salamander was healed from his injuries. "Okay, I think I'll head home now," Lucy chuckled. She and Mirajane gave their final good-byes before she and Plue stood and walked out. Her apartment was only a walking distance away, which was very convenient. Walking and seeing the town not-so-noisy as it was before makes the night at least a bit more peaceful. She playfully balanced herself at the edge of the sidewalk, where the rest of it was just a river and some men on a boat yelling the occasional, "Hey, be careful there, Miss!" And with that, Lucy would reassure them that she would be fine. It was just like any other night where she would walk back home with Plue and talk about how happy she is to be in Fairy Tail. It's like time would repeat itself when she returns home, not that it was a bad thing... At times, like tonight, she'd take her time looking at some of the market's new sales, or the latest clothing in fashion, or even the new best-selling book! She would only look, though, she knows well enough that she needs to save up for the rent. By the time she finishes, the moon would be high in the sky, and so would the stars just like her walks before. Everything was back to normal again.

"Oh, Plue, Fairy Tail is just wonderful~" she concluded. That was the end of her usual speech and praise of her guild that Plue was always interested in. It was never bored or tired of it, and in fact it was always happy to see its master happy and well. And it would always reply with a cute "Pu-puuun!" From there, Lucy sighed contently and turned the keys into the lock of her apartment, smiling, until...

**That. **"Welcome home, Lucy!" cried a small group.

She looked in horror at the people in her apartment. "What are you guys doing here?" The party that constantly invaded her home were actually her teammates: the overly-energetic Natsu Dragneel, the strange cat Happy, the already half-naked Gray Fullbuster, and Fairy Tail's strongest woman Erza Scarlet. Now, it was a normal thing for Natsu and Happy to break in all of a sudden, but...

What were Gray and Erza doing here also?

"Oh yeah, you left the guild before hearing the announcement, Lucy," Natsu started. It was true. The moon was barely up and she already left, then took her time in the local market until she completely lost track of time. That was probably how Natsu and Happy got to her house before her; she was sure she left earlier than the two of them. Lucy took a seat around the table where they all were, calming down and beginning to wonder what this was all about.

"Haven't you heard of any recent news concerning magic guilds?" Gray continued. Happy murmured awkwardly, "Gray, your clothes..." It was off most of the time, therefore everyone should be used to it already, but it was never a decent thing even for him. Moving on, Lucy thought hard. Actually, there _were _some people nervously gossiping that she unintentionally overheard, but never really understood. Erza finished the dire news.

"Guilds in neighboring towns have been under attack... There are no survivors thus far..." Erza concluded grimly. Lucy's once calm face immediately turned into one of shock. Unfortunately, she continued, "And it is rumored that this group is close to Magnolia."

"B-But... What's going on? Are there any investigations happening right now?"

"Right now, there are some people on the case. Supposedly, it is a Dark Guild going on a rampage. As of now, three guilds have already fallen..." said Gray. This was truly terrible. Exactly how powerful was this Dark Guild?

"Tch, we can take 'em!" Natsu challenged, clenching his fists, "If they even _dare_ think about going after Fairy Tail, they'll get beaten to a pulp!" Gray clearly thought otherwise and punched him in the back of the head. "Idiot! Don't underestimate them! They took down three guilds, so don't think it's gonna be that easy!" As the two argued and fought on like they usually did on a daily routine, Erza and Lucy continued on.

"Master Makarov suggested we group up in case they target us next, similar to the Phantom Lord situation." This was indeed similar, but definitely more important and dangerous. Lucy could hardly believe it. She was already sweating just by hearing it! And really, she was slightly trembling.

"T-That's... so terrible! What kind of a guild could do such a thing?" She brought her fingers to her lips and looked down. Already, strong oppenents may be approaching, and they had to be ready. "Even so..." she started, "If you're all going to stay over here..." Lucy then turned angrily to the fighting Natsu and Gray. "DON'T MESS UP MY APARTMENT!" At the moment, some shelves were already knocked down, along with her precious books, and her living room was close to becoming destroyed! How was she going to live with this?

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Okay, this is usually a slower start for me, as well as shorter, but I'm just trying to imagine it as though it were in a manga, so I can't make 'em too long. I think I'll keep my chapters at least 1500 words for now. If anyone thinks it's too much or too little, please feel free to tell me! K, hope you like this so far!

R&R, please!


	2. The Prey

**Author's Note: **Wow, after a few hours of daydreaming, I already have a whole bunch of ideas for the climax and fights of this fanfic! But it's always how to get to that point that really forces me to think... Well anyway, I'm really excited with how this will turn out. Hopefully, you all like it so far!

Here's Chapter 2~ :D

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Chapter 2: The Hunters

"Aw man, that job was _too_ easy!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Be quite, Natsu," said Lucy, "Just be happy we were able to get an easy job in the first place. The pay was really good, though! 400,000 Jewels just to catch those thieves?" It's common knowledge that the higher the reward of the job, the more dangerous and difficult it is. This particular job that they took was to catch some thieves causing some trouble in Hargeon. It seemed good, especially to Natsu since they had to make only two train trips: one to Hargeon and one back. As tortuous as it seemed to the Salamander, it is clearly better than riding many slow horse-drawn carriages. Moving on, the reason for the high pay was that the thieves have been around for some time; they were thought to be mages, but alas, they were frauds. Thus, the mission was rather quick. It was no job for mere knights, but it was evident the thieves were clever to have deceived them this whole time.

Lucy let out a happy sigh. "Now I'll be able to pay rent! And perhaps buy some new furniture..." It had been two days since Erza and the others moved in to her apartment, and the fire and ice mages had gotten into more fights than Lucy can handle. Erza, of course, did her best to reprimand them, though in the process she actually helped in the destruction of the apartment. Erza apologized to her friend again as she remembered how much more she'd have to buy again.

"Don't say it was 'too easy' Natsu, especially since _you _were the one who fell into their trap and nearly blew our cover! Idiot!" said Gray.

"What'd you say?" Natsu growled, standing from his seat.

"You heard me. Your impatience nearly costed us!"

"I took care of 'em anyway! I don't see any reason for you to get mad!"

"I have _plenty _of reasons to be mad!" They were about to get into one of their many and daily brawls once more, but as Natsu threw the first blow, his fist held back with the slightest hesitation... or rather, a sort of distraction kept him from finishing his attack.

"What the-" His comment was interrupted by Gray's hard fist against his jaw.

"Tch, you're even slower than usual..." he insulted, smirking and ready for another move. However, Natsu's expression turned serious as he noticed something that no one else was able to notice. He sniffed the air and glanced left to right, catching Gray's attention and therefore stopping his violent intentions. "What is it?" Gray asked.

"Something's... different..." he mumbled, staring. His eyes fell upon Cana, Macao, and Wakaba's usual drinking spot, where the three friends were chugging down barrels and barrels of alcohol. He took a step towards them until...

_"KYAAAAAAAA!"_

Some screams from the distance made all of Fairy Tail turn their heads in question. There were also some crashing noises as well, and some merchandise and other objects were thrown into the air to clear the way. Clearly, something was coming. The citizens of Magnolia ran in a confused fray, scared and oblivious to anything else other than what was coming for them. Some of them ran past the guild, while others ran into the alleys for safety. No one seemed to be hurt, unless they were hit by anything that was thrown out of the way. The main thing that caught their attention, though, was the fact that the source was headed towards the guild.

Lucy shivered, scared, as she came to a fearful theory. _"It can't be that Dark Guild... Can it?"_ she thought. Quickly, she brought her hands to her keys, ready to fight. Even some of the guild members waited nervously at the entrance, wondering what was coming. There was a rhythmic vibration in the ground, like large footsteps, and each time was stronger than the last. Erza's eyes grew more stern while Gray walked out in pursuit of the running Natsu, who was already investigating at the front. Lucy gulped as the source of the chaos came into view.

It was... like a huge metal golem. In fact, it looked similar to the Rock Doll that Sherry made in Galuna Island. The only difference was that it was made of multiple metal plates. Since it was not really a living thing, it was clear that it was made through Maker Magic. Its arms and hands were much larger than its torso and legs, so the creature relied on those to carry its body. Its dark eyes looked at the people staring at it in fear or anxiety. Natsu, Gray, and Erza were probably the only ones who looked at it with courage and determination. A sharp, creaking noise was heard as it turned its head; it seemed to be looking for something. Two men stood on top of its back, and jumped down to speak to everyone in front of them.

One of them landed more gracefully. He had dark, ebony hair tied into a small ponytail in the back, and had bangs that were long enough to cover his left eye. The main clothing that could be seen was his dark blue cloak, and strangely, some belts wrapped around the upper torso over the cloak. The sound of his footsteps made it evident that he was wearing combat boots, and a hilt could be seen sticking out from his cloak; with a closer inspection, it can be concluded that it is a katana. His gaze was calm and composed as he continued in the strange search. His companion, on the other hand, landed heavily. The sound of his landing as well as his huge size made it obvious he was rather muscular. He had short, dirty blonde hair, neatly cut along with his short beard. His blue eyes actually seemed to challenge people rather than search. He bore a large sheathed sword upon his back, one that might have matched his height. His clothing consisted of a simple brown overcoat, tucked in white shirt, and black pants which had its ends tucked into his own boots. His gloved hand reached out to the hilt of his weapon as though he already knew a battle was coming up.

Natsu didn't back down. He held his gaze at the two strangers. "Who are you?"

For about a minute, there was silence. The calmer one of the two glanced at his partner, as though he was asking whether it would be alright to answer or not. His partner gave no sign, however, for he apparently did not care what would happen next. His companion answered, "My name is Lance and my friend here is Morann. We have been looking for a female thief who has been on the run for some time." Everyone who once questioned their motives began to relax slightly.

"We wish to search your guild peacefully. It is rumored that the girl has run off to Magnolia, and the job requested to our guild will not be complete until we bring her to justice." Everything began to make sense. They were just regular mages working for money, and at the same time helping the authorities maintain peace and justice. Lucy thought to herself, _"Was it really necessary to ruin most of the Market, though?"_ It seemed peculiar that they would take such drastic measures. Was it a method to scare the girl from hiding?

Suddenly, Natsu charged at the two men and threw a punch. They both dodged it quickly and landed on opposite sides of him. "NATSU!" Lucy yelled in disbelief, along with other members who wondered at what the Salamander was trying to pull. What was he doing? He lifted his fist from the cracked cement, and looked at them with enlarged, angry eyes.

"You _lie_! You both reek of blood!" Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Happy's eyes widened in shock. As a Dragonslayer, his senses are much sharper than the average human's. To doubt his sense of smell would be very foolish; these men may not be who they say they are. He straightened up and looked at both of them. "What guild are you from?"

Lance did not bat an eye at the furious boy, though showed some interest as to how his sense of smell was so keen. Morann's grip tightened on his weapon as a malicious and excited grin creeped across his face. Lucy took note of the man's apparent love for battle, as well as the fact that neither quickly tried to correct Natsu. Were they really who they say they are? Lance merely brushed off some dust that settled itself upon his left shoulder. The only eye that could be seen closed in thought. Once he opened them again, he made no attempt to hide anything. He held out his right arm, removing the gauntlet that wrapped itself around it. As the long glove slowly revealed his skin, a guild stamp could be seen.

It was a purple snake curving as though it were the letter "S." Its mouth was open, revealing its sharp, poisonous fangs. Lucy prepared for the worst.

"We are from the Dark Guild known as Serpent's Tongue. We don't wish to fight with you, unless of course, you want to be the fourth guild to fall..." Lucy, sadly, was really not ready to hear that, nor did she want to. To take down three guilds was enough proof that they should not be underestimated; finding out that it took _only _those two to take down all of them would be even worse! As Natsu's suspicions were proved to be true, he set his fists on fire, glaring at Lance.

"You bastards...!"

Meanwhile, inside the Fairy Tail building where no one was looking, an empty and disposed barrel of beer in the corner of the room made a small but quiet shuffle...

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It's really better to imagine this with Hiro Mashima's style of drawing... Okay, I forgot the disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. The only ones that belong to me are Lance, Morann, and the upcoming OCs that you basically don't find in the manga itself. I hope that so far they're not cliche... And if you think they are, stick around and you'll find out just why they act the way the do! Seriously, I'm not making Lance all calm to make him look cool...

Um... Review please!


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